Articles

Oct 03 2016

Self-Sufficiency in a Loom

Author: Jamie DeBree

Last weekend, I went to a Fiber Festival here in town (the first one I’ve ever heard of). No, it didn’t feature prunes, beans and high-fiber foods…we’re talking textile fibers. Alpaca, yak, sheep and various blends of wool, plus silk, bamboo and other fibers that people who work with yarn like to turn into clothes, blankets, bags and other fun stuff.

In any case, there was an overwhelming amount of beautiful handspun and dyed fiber there (and raw fiber too, for those who spin), and I brought home several skeins of wool and one of cotton, and left a silk and bamboo blend one there that I really wish I’d picked up too. But it was expensive, so probably just as well I didn’t nab it. *sigh*

Anyways, at one of the booths where I bought some wonderfully thick and soft black handspun, the woman had a small “lap” weaving loom for sale. I thought about it, and thought about it some more, and ultimately decided not to buy it. And then I kicked myself for leaving it there the whole rest of the weekend. I even mentioned to my spinning/knitting friend at work that I couldn’t stop thinking about this loom, and how much fun it might be for the thinner lace-weight yarns I have but don’t want to knit or crochet with (I prefer thicker yarns – the small hooks/needles hurt my fingers).

As it turned out, my friend knew the woman selling the loom, and contacted her to see if it was still available. It was, and long story short, I sent a check, and the loom was delivered to my house this past Saturday. An hour, maybe 90 minutes later, I’d learned a whole bunch of terms I didn’t know before, and had woven my first inch or so of fabric from some recycled silk yarn I had in the closet.

My first weaving project – some recycled silk fingering-weight yarn.

I was actually kind of surprised, to be honest. The method described in the instructions made the motions far less tedious than I thought they might be, and I found the whole experience very relaxing. I spent another hour weaving another couple of inches yesterday, and again, found it a very calm and restful activity. It does take a lot of time, especially with the thin yarn I’m using, but it’s relatively mindless, and will result in a gorgeous piece of fabric.

While I ran the threads back and forth, I thought about why I was so drawn to get the loom and learn to weave. Or why I’m interested in any of the fiber arts I take part in – crochet and knitting, mainly. I mean, I do them because I enjoy the work, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that not only do I feel a sense of connection to the past when I do these types of crafts with my hands, but it also gives me a feeling of self-sufficiency.

I’ve always been a very independent person (too independent, says my mom), and I’ve also always been interested in homesteader-type activities. Crochet was one of the first hobbies I learned as a child, and it feels good to know that I can make both warm and useful things with just some yarn (or whatever) and a hook. I started knitting just because I think knit stitches are better for clothing (tighter), and weaving will broaden what I can make even more, in terms of household items and possibly even blankets and scarves.

Making things with my hands using simple tools gives me a sense of connection to the past that very few other things do. These crafts have been passed down for generations on to the next, and there’s just something that feels very important about keeping the hand-made version of them going as people cycle in and out of life. Not just because there’s value in knowing how to take care of ourselves without the technology of mass-production, but also because of that feeling of self-sufficiency that comes with knowing how to take raw materials and turn it into something useful and practical (as well as beautiful, in many cases). The more self-sufficient I feel, the more confidence I have, and that applies to all areas of my life, not just my homesteader-style hobbies.

Which is justification enough to learn how to spin my own yarn one of these days too, right? Although we may need a bigger house…

But I draw the line at raising sheep outside an actual apocalyptic-type situation. I helped a friend with 4-H sheep in high school. They’re cute, but stupid. I’m not a fan.

Alpacas have personality, though…

Sep 19 2016

Patience, Grasshopper

Author: Jamie DeBree

Patience isn’t an easy thing for most of us. When I was young (say, elementary school through high school), I always wanted time to move faster. I couldn’t wait to get out of high school and get to college. And then in college, when I realized I still couldn’t really relate to people my age for various reasons, I wanted *that* time to move faster, so I could move out of my parent’s house and get a single, glorious job that would cover all my bills and still leave me free in the evenings to…you know, watch TV and sleep. Then I graduated, and got the job, but had to stay with my parents for two more years before I finally had enough money saved up to buy a house. I got a better job on the same day I got the house, and life was finally good. I’d finally reached the point where I wasn’t constantly wishing things would hurry up and move faster.

Nowadays, I’m less impatient with time itself, and more impatient *with* myself. Every time I have to learn something or figure something new out for my job, I think I should just be able to automagically access the data and apply it like a pro – like a digital download to the brain, Matrix-style. And with writing, I feel like I should be able to learn new concepts and apply them perfectly right away, instead of constantly botching it up, trying again, getting a little better, trying again…etc.

Of course I can’t…I have to figure out what I need to learn, and then read about it, and then apply it, and fail, and try again, and fail, and go through the same process everyone else does. Which is absolutely logical/normal, but with writing especially, I wish I could grab those relatively abstract concepts and apply them without so much floundering. Database stuff is far more logical than writing (which surprises no one, I’m certain).

It’s all ego, of course – thinking I should be able to just learn new things with a simple “make it so” command. Knowing that doesn’t make me want it less though, and I’m constantly repeating the phrase from the old Kung Fu TV series to myself:

“Patience, grasshopper.”

Which reminds me, of course, that there are steps to learning, and no shortcuts, and the “journey” of learning something is often a lesson in and of itself. So might be said of the journey of simply waiting for something to happen – or to see if something will eventually happen.

Life itself is more about the journey than any particular destination, methinks.

And that is why I had a grasshopper tattooed on my forearm a little over a week ago. The ladybug is for luck, which…is a philosophical discussion for another day.

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Sep 12 2016

Swirly Thoughts

Author: Jamie DeBree

So many topics to choose from given last week’s more-social-than-normal obligations, and as I sit here late Sunday night trying to convince myself that I should have written this post earlier instead of watching that movie, I’m having a hard time deciding what to blog about. Writers of all kinds are often asked how they get their ideas, and the answer is always the same – ideas are a dime a dozen. They’re everywhere. The trouble comes in distilling them down and deciding which are actually worth pursuing, and which to leave lying about for someone else to pick up as they go by.

The issue of appearances came up several times last week in a few different contexts, and that always makes me think. How we present ourselves both physically and intellectually is something I’ve been fascinated with since I was very young, and social conventions regarding that topic are varied and complex enough to analyze for years.

And then there’s entertainment and media, which I partook rather lavishly in last week (and enjoyed every minute of it). So much food for thought, both on screen and in print…it was a very creatively rich week, and inspiring as well.

There’s also the fact that I started using my Alphasmart Neo to write with again, and started a brand new romance draft that I feel really good about, and also really odd about, but the important part is, I’m writing again, regularly, and I really, really want to keep that going because I love it.

I hired a part-time promotor for Brazen Snake Books this weekend on a trial basis, which includes a whole lot of mental conflict on my part but also some extraordinarily long-term planning, which is not something I do well or often. But neither is promotion, and I’m already seeing good things happening in that arena, so I’m anxious to see what she can do for both myself and Carol, my best buddy and the other writer who publishes under the BSB umbrella.

That got me thinking about longer-term plans for writing, my pen names, the BSB business, and my day job too. Not conflict, necessarily, just potential progressions of work and life.

Friday was tattoo day, and not just because I finally got the grasshopper/ladybug tattoo I’ve been wanting for the last few months, which took care of the last large open space on my lower left arm. I thought a lot about coverage and perception and appearances (see above) and living in the moment rather than in the future, and my next appointment (which I made after Friday’s tattoo was done).

There’s a lot going on in my head, obviously – which isn’t a bad thing. And I’m not stressed, which is odd, frankly. Normally having this much swirling around at once would be pushing me close to the edge, but I’m surprisingly relaxed. Hopefully I can keep it that way.

Next week, I’ll tease out a topic to go into more depth on. For this week, I’m content to let ’em swirl around unfettered in my brain for awhile yet. They’ll eventually sort themselves out, I’m sure.

Aug 29 2016

On Notes, Ink, Postcards, & Peace Camp

Author: Jamie DeBree

Funny how the first three title subjects have something to do with writing, and yet for the purposes of this post, it’s the most tenuous of threads…

The Note(s)
My Note 7 showed up on Wednesday to brighten up a rather gray week, and it is everything I hoped it would be and more. I love it, and though I still have a few things to get working correctly (like photos saving to Dropbox, etc), it’s functioning mostly like the Note 3 did. I factory-reset the Note 3 for my husband, who is actually using it to make lists and such, which is impressive. So we’ll see if he gets as much utility out of such a handy device as I do or not.

The screen is especially beautiful and clear, and the camera is pretty awesome too. Great low-light photos…they weren’t kidding!

It took the better part of an evening to get everything transferred over, and then part of another to get all my passwords put in (and I’m still not sure I have them all yet). Then there’s tweaking the settings for things, and turning notifications on and off, and figuring out the blue-light filter (which is awesome, because it makes the screen so much easier on my eyes). I can, indeed read on this screen with the filter on, which is awesome.

Fun, fun, but time consuming. Between that and work, the rest of the week flew right by.

The Ink
Saturday I got one of the two tattoos planned…there wasn’t time for two, but Andrew did a really amazing job on my barn spider in just an hour and a half. Meet Earl…Charlie’s new “arm-mate”:

Isn’t he cool? He’s still a bit swollen (takes 3-4 days for the swelling to go down), but I can’t wait to see how he turns out once he’s all healed. I’ll go back in two weeks to get my grasshopper/ladybug on the upper side of my wrist, and then I’ll let this arm heal for several months before doing anything else with it.

One more tattoo on the inside of my other forearm, and that will be it for this year. Fun stuff!

The Postcards
Then Sunday, I finally sat down and got several postcards ready to mail out. One for my own postcard exchange, and seven for Postcrossing exchanges. Apparently there are a lot of postcard collectors/swappers in Russia, because every one of the names I drew this time are from there. Hopefully next time I can draw a better mix? Not that it matters too much, I suppose…I sent them all a small bit of Montana.

Peace Camp
So when I sat down last night to write this post, I had the TV on for noise (the dogs are used to it being on in the evenings, so they settle better when things are “normal”). I turned the channel to PBS World, figuring it’s normally politics and world news, so there wouldn’t be too much to grab my attention. Alas, I should have left it on a stupid sit-com or something, because it ended up being a documentary on this Peace Camp that brought together a group of girls from different parts of the middle east and basically worked with them on learning how to communicate, and how to respect other people’s beliefs even when you know you won’t agree, and how to be okay with that in a non-violent way.

It was fascinating, and it followed the lives of these girls for quite a few years after and how some of them struggled to keep in touch, and never gave up trying to communicate and come together. I couldn’t help but think that we all could use more of that – face-to-face time in small groups of people who believe differently, moderated so no one group can gang up on the other, with exercises that make us admit to/acknowledge the “human-ness” of the people on the other side of the wall, so to speak.

Kids need this. All kids, in my opinion. These were teens when they started, and I think that’s the perfect time to really instill that respect for other humans, especially those who disagree with our personal beliefs/philosophies.

I have more to say on the matter, but will wait until I can distill it into a less chaotic set of thoughts in my own head and give it a separate post. The documentary really made me think though, and gave me hope for future generations even in the midst of such unrest. I’m glad I got distracted by it, even if it did make this post late.

The Plan
Sneaking in one more section here – I’ve been seriously slacking lately. Too much unproductive time, which just leads to more unproductive time and less productive thinking. It’s a bad downward spiral that I really want to spin the other way. So I’m working on not just being more productive this week, but also giving certain projects less time. Which sounds counter-productive, but the less time I have to work on something, the more focused I am while I’m working on it and in a lot of cases, I get more done because of that.

So the hope is to get more done on the projects I need to get done during the week, leaving more time on the weekends for stuff I do just for enjoyment (without the guilt). Call it an experiment. Hopefully a productive one…

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Aug 15 2016

Mood Management & Skin-Tight Capris

Author: Jamie DeBree

I’m pretty sure Keith Richards’ lost love was at MontanaFair this weekend.

Let me back up a bit, and I’ll explain.

I was in a pretty serious funk on Sunday…later I figured out it was probably because hubby and I went out for dinner Saturday night, tried to go see the comedian who was here for the fair, got there too late to find parking and went back home, completely forgetting to take the supplements we normally take with dinner. Yes, I realize supplements are controversial, and it was quite some time before I even talked myself into taking a multi-vitamin. But after experimenting a lot on myself, and helping my husband experiment as well, it’s pretty unmistakable that the ones we take do have a very positive effect on our daily lives, and our moods as well.

It’s actually kind of disconcerting, but without my Super B complex and fish oil, I’m an anxiety-ridden mess who can’t focus to save her life. Scary, but true. Skip one day, and I’m merely a grump. I know this because I’ve run out before, and had to go without for various periods of time. Disconcerting, as I said – in an apocalypse situation, I’d be a much less pleasant person to be around in just a week due to the lack of supplements readily available.

So, there I am on Sunday afternoon, limping through the day on less supplementation and less sleep than I should, walking the fairgrounds with my hubby before the concert starts, thankful the crowds weren’t that bad.

That’s when we saw her.

A character so perfect that if I wrote her, no one would find her even remotely believable. And yet, there she was, in the pasty-white wrinkled flesh.

She had to be at least 70 (I’m guessing older), all skin and tiny bones with long, wavy white hair and a thickly-lined expression that said she didn’t care, and she never had cared what anyone thought of her or her choices. Two long, bony fingers held a smoking cigarette that hung down at her side, but it was her choice of clothing that really said more than anything else.

At an age when most people would give up on zippers and anything remotely snug, this lady was wearing skin-tight shiny black capris with white rock-n-roll style crosses on the front of each thigh. And up top, a black tank with more rock-n-roll motifs. I didn’t notice any tattoos, but they certainly wouldn’t have been out of place. And if it hadn’t been rude, I’d have looked closer and snapped a pic, because she is everything I want to be, as far as attitude goes.

Seeing her made my whole day and snapped me right out of my funk – because *that* is how we should all approach life. She was rocking those rock-n-roll groupie clothes, and she clearly didn’t care what anyone else thought about it either. She didn’t let age hold her back, and she is who she is, even after all these years.

And if she’s single, and Keith Richards is looking, I doubt he’ll find a better match…though I dare say she’s probably not always that easy to handle.

In any case, we got some fair food, got confused as to what happened to the main exhibits we normally see (some of which we never even saw), and enjoyed the Theory of a Deadman/3 Doors Down concert even though the sound sucked where we were sitting. Murphy did fine in his cone for the extra time we needed him too (poor thing), and I got home in time to finish the laundry and get this post written/posted before bed.

All in all, not a bad weekend, if it was a little chaotic. I tell you what though – seeing that lady at the fair made everything that led up to us being at that exact spot on that exact day and time was totally and completely worth it. It was one of those pivotal moments in life that sticks with you forever…in the best possible way.

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Aug 01 2016

Back to “Normal”

Author: Jamie DeBree

What did I learn on my summer vacation? A few things:

1. Just don’t. I’m really not a “summer vacation” kinda girl. I don’t like traveling in the summer due to the crowds of people, and there’s too much stuff to do outside that makes me feel guilty for not getting it done. A day or two here and there for a single project? Sure. A whole unplanned week to be home by myself? Nope. Bad idea. Works way better in the winter for me.

2. I do best with planned vacations if I’m staying home and just taking a break from work. Vacation to write? Sure. Vacation to clean out my closet or read non-stop for several days in a row? Nice. Vacation with no plans and a conscious effort not to plan anything at all? Major fail. I mostly just stress about not doing anything – not even the fun stuff I want to do. “Aimless” is not a good thing for me…I need a plan, even if it’s just to relax (in a structured way). Just my personality.

That said, I did get a few things done, including starting a new blog for the dogs at LeashCandy.dog. It needs a lot of work yet, and that will probably have to wait until the weather gets colder, but it’s up, and that’s where you’ll find the Friday posts from Mica and Murphy now. I still need to move the subscriptions over there for those who are only subscribed to those posts, and put a subscription form on that site for those who want to keep following their posts, but I’ll have all that done by the end of this week.

I also reworked my morning routine to give me some time to write before work four days a week. It’s not a huge amount of time, but even if it’s just a paragraph or two, it gets the story I’m working on for the day sort of “primed” in my head, so my subconscious can work on it while I’m doing other things throughout the day. I’m hoping this will translate to an easier writing time late at night when I have time to get back at it before bed. We shall see.

I spent some time watching workshop videos by Dean Wesley Smith, and I really need to make time for a few of these a week. I’m going to work it into my schedule – possibly on the weekends, and I think it’s going to help immensely not just with the writing itself, but with my confidence and motivation as well. It already is, truthfully, and I feel more motivated than I have in a long time to get some books finished and out there. Hooray for *that*!

All in all, it wasn’t a bad week. I did a lot of reflecting, and a lot of thinking, and a lot of learning, and it may not have been the most pleasant week in the world, but it was mentally very productive. Now I’m going back to work with a clearer head and better focus, which is going to be very important with some big changes happening there over the next few months (starting this coming week).

So…back to “normal” I go. A very comforting thought after a very non-routine week.

Jul 18 2016

Just Saying No…to a List-Driven Vacation

Author: Jamie DeBree

In four more days, I’ll be “on vacation” for a week. My vacations are often spent at home – I don’t travel much because I’m mostly a homebody (though I do enjoy myself on the rare occasions I leave the city – but I hate the prep it entails, and need a fair amount of recovery time when I get back). My husband will be out of town on his own vacation (playing pool in Vegas), so the dogs and I will be left to our own devices for seven whole days.

It’s gonna be great. 🙂

Normally when I take these vacations, I get excited about all the stuff I can get done. Household projects we never seem to get to, “resets” on things that have just gotten out of hand, or stuff I’ve been working on, but never seem to make any headway with. I make a huge list, and plan every day out to the hour, and by the time the week is done, I’ve gotten quite a bit done, but never as much as I thought I would, and I’m just as tired and in need of “recovery” as I would be if I’d traveled.

For the past couple of weeks, I’ve been doing the very same thing. I need to get to “this” – but I’ll wait and do it during my vacation. I really should do that, but since I have vacation coming up, might as well do it then. Need to make this and this and this appointment – I should just make them for that week I’m already off work. You get my drift. And see the problem too, I bet.

This weekend I was really gearing up, and sat down to make a list, and…that’s when it hit me. My vacation week does not have to be “pre-loaded”. And it’ll certainly be way more fun and relaxing if it isn’t!

When my husband and I travel, we don’t make big plans for what to do once we are wherever we’re going. Unlike a lot of people, we might have an idea of things we’d like to do, but we pretty much just play it by ear – do what we feel like on any given day, depending on how energetic or tired we feel, we sleep in, and stay out late, and generally have a great, relaxing time. It’s draining for both of us to be around a lot of people for any length of time and my husband loves to just be spontaneous, so we leave the routines behind and just “go feral” for the time we’re gone.

It occurred to me that my “stay-cations” would be far better if I did exactly that. Treated them like an “away” vacation, where I just do what I happen to feel like doing on any given day, and don’t set a strict agenda or force myself to try to get a bunch of things done. If I get stuff done that would normally have to wait, that’s great. If I don’t, well, no big deal – if it’s important, we’ll find time to get it done eventually, and if not…then it’s not important enough for me to bust my butt getting done on vacation time.

If I feel like spending an entire day reading a book (not that the dogs would let me, but just go with it), I do not have to feel guilty in the least for doing so. If I wake up one day and decide I want to clean and reorganize the bathroom, I can do that too – but not because I feel obligated to work on my “list of things that never get done that need to get done while I have time off”. If I wake up and decide to watch three more episodes of Game of Thrones, and then decide I’m tired of sitting so I may as well clean out the shed on the patio – no problem. Maybe I’ll decide an hour later that sitting was way more fun, open a draft in progress, and write until the dogs remind me I need to feed them, and should probably feed myself while I’m at it.

I’m a planner by nature (obviously), and very routine-driven, and the idea of not planning out every second of my vacation for maximum gain strikes me as somewhat irresponsible…maybe even wasteful. So it’s uncomfortable for me to adopt this “just go with the flow” attitude. But I know I’ll be glad I did when my vacation is actually restful and stress-free, rather than busy and packed full of expectations that I can’t possibly meet, ensuring a heavy dose of guilt at the end before I go back to work.

I’m just saying “no” to a list-driven vacation. Which means I should probably think about working the stuff I’ve been “saving up” to do during said vacation into the confines of my normal routines, eh? No reason/excuse to procrastinate now…

Jun 28 2016

Mondays, Tuesdays, Social Energy, & Whining

Author: Jamie DeBree

I could tell you that Sunday just got away from me which is why this post is so late. Or I could tell you I opted to watch another episode of Game of Thrones instead of writing this post earlier Sunday evening, and then I started on a different topic and decided to hold off on that for one more week, and then I needed to sleep (because I am human, after all), and then work, and then dinner, and then dog walking, and then a very broken half-episode of Six Feet Under (we gave up…our internet connection was just not working well enough tonight)…

So, yeah. Monday’s nearly over, it was kind of a long day at work, I stuck my foot in my mouth a couple of times (yes, proverbially speaking…I’ve never been *that* flexible), and felt marginally better when a woman we were passing on our walk around 8pm tonight inadvertently wished us “good morning” (we both laughed). Out of all the things on my list to-do today, I got exactly zero done.

This is kind of odd for me – normally my Mondays aren’t all that bad. Tuesdays are my “bad” day – it starts with having to skip yoga and get to work early for a staff meeting first thing, which packs a one-two punch to a night-owl introvert like myself. I have nothing against staff meetings, generally speaking, but first thing in the morning it’s a pretty serious drain on my social energy to have to interact with so many people when I’m not even really awake.

I was talking with someone today about social energy, and this person is far more of an extrovert, so interacts with the world much differently than I do. I will avoid elevators whenever possible – not just because taking the stairs is healthier, but also because I hate being stuck in small spaces with people I don’t know well. Having people I do know there helps take the edge off, but it’s still an angsty situation for me – enough that I’ll avoid it 99.9 percent of the time even if I know my “cell mates”.

I have to kind of psych myself up for things like meetings and even informal gatherings. Not because I dislike them, but because it takes a lot of mental energy for me to function somewhat normally in a crowd of people. And afterward, I need quiet time to sort of “recharge” – which isn’t something easy to come by in a lot of situations, so the energy just keeps getting drained and I’m lucky to have anything at all left at the end of the day.

Alas, I’m tough. I can take it. But occasionally, I have to whine just like everyone else. Luckily for everyone else, too much whining drives me nutty, so I try to keep from driving myself crazy.

And with that, I’m off to bed (yes, the writing post will be late too). Next time, we’ll talk about something more fun. Like food!

Jun 20 2016

On Planning & Entertainment

Author: Jamie DeBree

A more or less typical Sunday…

I mentioned a few weeks ago about my detour into planner-land one Sunday night while I was supposed to be writing a post for Monday. And my realization that the best planner in the world wasn’t going to solve my problem, which was simply being too lazy to use a planner.

Long story short, I went ahead and started planning my days in the morning, using a blank sheet from the back of one of my planners. Three main goals to start, any meetings scheduled, a few extra “if I have time” goals, and then a timeline of the day wherein every hour (even just watching TV) was listed, hour to hour.

I was a little chagrined to realize that this only took me 5, *maybe* 10 minutes in the morning. I honestly thought it would take much longer, but really, I know my routines, I know how my days mostly go, and I mixed work and personal on the same timeline just because it’s all part of the bigger daily picture. Five to ten minutes, and I started the day with a *plan* (complete with set and flexible goals) and predictably enough, I was much more calm and far less stressed than I have been in a long time. Even better, I finished all three of my main goals for the day. Prioritizing and focusing really does work.

Naturally, I remembered a planner I’d seen on my foray down the planner-rabbit-hole that night that I’d passed on by because it was boring, had undated pages and an un-timed timeline. I went back through my Amazon browsing history (too, too convenient!), found the Emergent Task Planner (ETP), and ordered one right then and there. It was exactly what I was doing, only slightly more organized than having only my messy script on the page.

I’ve been using it for half a week and even through the weekend (Sunday is pictured above), and I have to say – this is perfect. It’s exactly what I needed. Fully flexible so my day can start and end anytime I want, and just a super-simple outline for each day. Plus a spot to keep track of exercise and menu planning for the day (I’m keeping close track of calories at the moment, so the page pictured has my calorie calculations for the breakfast burritos I made yesterday).

So no, the planner didn’t fix my problem. But it did facilitate my fixing the problem by making it easier to do so, which is just as good. When I have a plan, I have at least the illusion of control, and that eases my personal stress level in a pretty major way – even if the plan has to change along the way. Odd how that works, isn’t it?

Now for something completely different. If I’d shown you Saturday’s page, you’d see several time chunks at night blocked out for “GOT”. Last week, I signed up for a one month free trial of HBO Now, so I could see what all the fuss was over The Game of Thrones. I watched the first episode last Wednesday night, and it was a little confusing (which is odd, considering I’d actually read that particular part of the books), but intriguing enough to watch a second. So Saturday evening when my husband was gone (he’s not interested), I watched several more episodes through the evening (I think I’m on 7 now, if I recall correctly). It’s very intricate, with so many different players and each with different motives and desires. I can see why people are so glued to it – and now that Tyrion shirt I got in last month’s Geek Fuel box makes so much more sense.

The hubby and I also decided to try Six Feet Under while we were there…and I have to say, that is one delightfully wacky show. I just adore the dark humor in it, and we’ve only watched a couple episodes so far. Luckily, hubby says that one’s on Amazon Prime, so we can watch that even if I don’t continue with HBO Now – though I dare say I will have to keep it until GOT is done. Which kind of sucks, because it’s one of the more expensive stand alone subscriptions at $14.99 per month. But I could just catch up now, and then cancel until next season too. Did I mention the HBO Now app sucks?

I also really want to watch Penny Dreadful, which is a Showtime…ah, show. But that’s an $8.99 add on subscription to our Prime membership, so…entertainment is getting a bit expensive here. Then again, we rarely actually go to the movies, and we did watch a couple of movies on HBO Now this weekend (The Intern is so good!). So…we’ll see.

Too bad they don’t have a sci-fi channel add on. I’ve been waiting for the latest season of Defiance to go free for Prime members *forever*. *sigh*

Yes, I watch too much TV. No, I don’t feel bad about it.

Now, however, it’s past light’s out and nearly to should-be-sleeping time, so I bid you a happy(ish) Monday and an organized week.

Jun 10 2016

Gone to the Dogs: High Wire Security

Author: Jamie DeBree

Guardian of the Yard

Murphy sez: Mica, we have a security issue.

Mica sez: Impossible! I watch the windows and doors very carefully – better than you, I might add. I mean, I’m always telling people to get off our lawn, or away from our house, or out of our driveway…it’s a tough job, man, but I do my best. Wouldn’t hurt you to help, instead of just looking at me like I’m nuts.

Murphy sez: I have no idea why you get so worked up over people and other dogs. The bikes, loud vehicles and motorcycles, I get. But dogs and people aren’t the enemy, dude. We have a much bigger problem than that.

Mica sez: I have no idea why people think pitbulls are so tough. You’re a pansy, Murph. And if someone tried to break into the house, I think you might help ‘em carry off the goods. It’s a good thing for J that I take my job as watch dog seriously. Someone’s gotta look after the place while she and B are at work!

So if you’re not worried about people or other dogs, what are you worried about, exactly?

Murphy sez: Birds, Mica. Birds and squirrels. They’re coming for us – mark my words. I mean, did you see those two doves just sitting on the power line that runs right to the house the other morning?! They were casing the joint – I could tell. They’re plotting something. You know that movie with all the crows in it? That’s gonna happen to us, Mica. Only with doves. That’s why we can’t let them stay – not even for a little while. It’s too dangerous!

Get your fuzzy little butt off that pole – now!

Mica sez: Um…I’m pretty sure mourning doves are harmless, Murph. I mean, they usually just sit there, and then fly away. Sometimes they lose a feather or two. And sometimes they hang out in the yard, though I don’t generally let them stay. Not ‘cause I’m worried about a Hitchcock situation, mind you. Just because I like to see ‘em fly away.

Murphy sez: I’m telling you – they’re evil. Remember how long it took me to chase ‘em off? I swear, they were laughing at me, with their stupid cooing giggles. I can’t believe they stayed so long, with me telling them to get away the whole time. Who do they think they are, anyways? I had to lay out there for a good half hour in the sun when they finally left just to make sure they didn’t come back.

But there’s an even bigger threat looming, Mica. And I think we need to talk to J about emergency supplies.

Mica sez: What are you talking about now? I thought it was the birds giving you grief. Now they’re gone, and now that I think about it, I haven’t seen a dove in the yard since. I don’t think they like you much…

Murphy sez: Good. Because if they come back, I’ll eat ‘em. If the squirrel apocalypse hasn’t happened yet, anyway.

Mica sez: Squirrel apocalypse? You really have gone off the deep end, haven’t you? Maybe it’s that stuff J’s been putting in your ears. Did the infection get to your brain somehow? I mean, I love a good squirrel chase as much as the next dog, but an apocalypse?

Murphy sez: The squirrels are getting ready to revolt – I just know it. The way they run back and forth across the back fence, and then those kamakazie sorts that use the power lines as some sort of highway…I’m telling ya, they’re planning something. And we need to be ready, Mica. We need to keep them away from the yard, and tell ‘em off when they get too close!

Mica sez: That might be kinda tough considering they live in two neighbor’s trees, don’t you think? You’re just mad because they tell you off every once in awhile. You could try being neighborly…offer to watch their nuts, or something.

Murphy sez: I’ll watch their fuzzy little butts get off our fence and away from our power lines, thank you very much. And if they get close enough, I’ll make sure those tails are the only thing left. The thing is, we’re not ready, Mica. And you don’t even help – you just stand there watching while I’m yelling at those fuzz buckets, not saying a word, not even backing me up. Seriously dude – why aren’t you helping?

There is no squirrel apocalypse coming, Murph.
Yes there is, Mica!

Mica sez: *sigh* Probably because they’re just squirrels, and usually only one at a time, at that. There’s not going to be an apocalypse, little dude. And weren’t we just talking about how you don’t help me guard the house? Why should I help you guard the yard? We each have our duties, Murph. You protect us from the doves and squirrels and whatever feathered/fuzzy things you think might turn into a serious threat, and I’ll guard the house from the interlopers that really matter. Deal?

Murphy sez: I can’t believe you don’t think this is a bigger deal, but sure. Whatever. But when the squirrels finally attack (probably using the birds as some sort of spy-group, you’re on your own.

It’s gonna be nutty…

Mica sez: *groan* That was sooo bad, Murph. I think we’d both better rest up for guard duty tomorrow. It’s not easy keeping this place safe with so many…ahem…threats – real or imagined.

Murphy sez: I guess so. I am kind of looking forward to my cozy blankets. Though I can’t keep them on very long, on account of J keeps the house warmish. I still like ‘em though. So soft and cuddly… *yawn*

Mica sez: Sweet dreams, Murph. No squirrel apocalypse for you, my friend. Mostly ‘cause you’re kind of scary when you dream about chasing things.

Murphy sez: Right back atcha, Mica. But no promises about the apocalypse. It’s coming, and I’ve gotta be ready to shake all those squirrels to death…

Tune in next week for more Murphy & Mica! Or subscribe to get us in your inbox – use the subscription link in the right sidebar and pick “Gone to the Dogs”. Like these posts? Consider a donation to our favorite charities – the shelters that helped us when we needed it most!

Murphy’s shelter: Donate to The Rimrock Humane Society
Mica’s shelter: Donate to Help for Homeless Pets

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Writer | DBA | Dog Wrangler